Window tinting not only provides an easy way to personalize your vehicle – and to protect your privacy -- but it can keep your vehicle's interior cooler and provide protection from ultraviolet radiation that can age and damage interior materials.

Yet the owner's manuals for some 2007-model vehicles warn consumers against the installation of such "high-performance" aftermarket tinted window films because metallic or ceramic materials that enhance their capabilities can interfere with such things as keyless entry systems, tire pressure sensor relays, even radio, cellular telephone and GPS signals.

Beginning in the spring of 2007, CPFilms, the world's largest manufacturer of window film, offered LLumar Axcess, a film that offers protection without interference.

Instead of a layer of metallic or ceramic material, LLumar Axcess is made with a new composite material known as a cermet, says Lisa Winckler, director of product development and technology for CPFilms Inc., of Martinsville, Va.

Winckler won't say too much about the specific cermet developed for LLumar Axcess films because the patent application is pending, though she says it was developed to provide protection against heat buildup while being non-conductive and thus it will not interfere with radio frequencies used for keyless entry, tire sensors or other signals.

CPFilms is a subsidiary of Solutia Inc., a major supplier to the auto industry. CPFilms also produces window film for architectural use, both in commercial buildings and for homes, including films with decorative designs and films that prevent glass from shattering when broken.

LLumar Axcess will be available in do-it-yourself kits from automotive aftermarket retailers such as AutoZone or Advance Auto Parts, or can be professionally installed. Prices for a professional installation should be in the $200 - $300 range.

For more information, visit www.llumar.com. The site includes details on various state's window-tinting laws and links to professional installers.